


A False Sense of Confidence

by cocoshabang



Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Bearded Gendry, Drunk Arya, F/M, Future Fic, Gendry and Jon are bros, My First AO3 Post, Reunited and It Feels So Good, wack timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-09
Updated: 2017-01-09
Packaged: 2018-09-16 00:03:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9264977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cocoshabang/pseuds/cocoshabang
Summary: “Where are you going?”“I’m going to convince him to join us” her bold actions were brought on by the false sense of confidence the wine gave her body.Arya returns to Winterfell after almost a decade to see that her brother was King in the North, Sansa and Bran were alive and that Gendry had saved her brother's life in a war and was a friend to her family.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Very dull summary I apologise and I don't understand the timeline either but whatevs just let me live.  
> I also apologise if anyone seems out of character but it just works well with my story.  
> I hope you guys enjoy!

Lutes, drums, and bawdy laughter filled the main hall of Winterfell and Arya Stark, in all her northern glory was sitting to the left of Jon. Sansa was at his right and Bran regally placed next her, all four of them sitting before their company of northern lords, ladies, bannermen and wildlings. It was a celebration or better yet, a continuing celebration. A full month since the remaining heir of Winterfell had come home. House Targaryen back on the throne and the wall collapsed with the threat of The Others diminished for almost 5 years now. Arya had not been present for the Siege of the White, but she was mesmerised by the stories that travelled to her in Braavos, of wights, her brother’s command and the dragons.

Arya had regretted staying in Braavos for as long as she did but she believed she had nothing else, no one else. When she heard of the victories her family had achieved, she was Arya Stark of Winterfell once more.

She had lost count of the number of wines that she had guzzled, desperately trying to outdrink Jon and she watched the night progress through blurs of grey and white with Stark bannermen loudly socialising with the wildlings. Arya caught herself several times observing the table where he should be, disappointed each time she could not find what she was looking for.

Gendry.

How she missed him. Arya did not know this of course, but seeing him ride through the east gates, black bearded and strong-willed. He had appeared in her mind several times over the years she had been separated from him and waves of relief and confusion ran through her body. She did not understand what was happening and why he was here. Maybe she was imaging things or maybe he was real and had heard of her return less than three weeks ago. But cut that notion quite quickly as nobody was coming to Winterfell in a time span of three weeks while the winter was this harsh. Arya had come to the conclusion that he was imaginary but when she asked a nearby stable boy who the broad knight was and the fingerless man who rode beside him, that notion was also cut.

“That is Ser Davos mi’lady. Your brother treats him as an advisor and that is Lord Baratheon, or Ser Gendry as he likes to be called, sworn shield to your family. Saved the Kings life several times in the Siege.”

Baratheon?

Ser Davos was a name she had heard quite frequently around Jon, but Gendry’s name was non-existent around Winterfell. The only name she heard that saved Jon’s life was Lord Baratheon, which bewildered her that there was another Baratheon. 

Arya had lingered around the shadows of the great hall, practically invisible to her family, waiting for him to arrive to Jon. When she saw him for a second time, she was overwhelmed with his height, defiantly not the boy she knew but a man who was easily three times her size. She watched him carefully, watched his face twist when Jon told them of her return, and watch it soften with shock when she stepped out of the shadows. Arya was drawn to him and Gendry was stunned, he forgot etiquette and she forgot about everyone around her, the pounding in her ears were enough to conceal any logic. They were ghosts of each other pulled towards the other. Arya couldn’t resist, she reached out her arm and before they knew it he returned the hug with the same impact and warmth. She felt her heart racing against his own as he had pulled her up to his height, her feet inches from the ground and his beard scratching at the crook of her neck.

‘It’s you’

He quickly stiffened as he heard her soft breath against his ear. Arya felt the floor underneath her and a coolness around her back where his arms used to be and at that moment she knew that Jon didn’t know what was happening. No one knew. Gendry had not told her family he knew her, travelled with her, survived with her. Gendry had stepped several paces away from her and she felt her siblings curious gaze. After apologising several times for acting against propriety, Gendry recounted their story and left the great hall. She felt a tug at her body to chase him but a hand had grabbed at her forearm, whose hand she could not remember, she felt compelled to fight it but found herself retreating. Gendry avoided her at all costs. He was always around someone and she knew after he respectfully had acknowledged her with a proper title that he was acting like they never knew each other.

Arya thought that her celebration would be different, that he would be here tonight.

“He requested to watch the east perimeter tonight.” Arya’s eyes ripped away from where he should be and turned to face Jon. He was looking at her quite curiously and she furrowed her brows.

“In this weather? Is he dim? His weak southron skin will freeze off. Why’d you allow that?”

Jon had shrugged “Let it be known though, I insisted that he celebrate instead. As loyal as he, Gendry’s a grown man, he can do whatever he wants.”

She was confused with Jon’s motives for she had only argued about Gendry, with him a few mornings prior. Jon and Gendry had grown quite close over the years where she had been absent, they found a similarity with each other which in honesty, gave Arya feelings of envy.

“Well, men have no sense about them.” She rolled her eyes and pushed back her chair, her head quickly spinning making her regret standing up so fast.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to convince him to join us” her bold actions were brought on by the false sense of confidence the wine gave her body.

“Arya” Jon warned

“What?” Her grey eyes meeting his identical ones with great intensity. Jon had said nothing realising nothing he did or said would stop her, he realised that a long time ago.

Arya tightened her cloak and spiralled her way through the halls and up the stairs, misjudging several steps due to the wine, and outside where the wind was unforgiving. She grabbed onto the wall for support while her vision kept spinning, she gathered herself rather quickly when she was approached by a young lad.

“Mi’lady, you should be in-”

“Ser Gendry. Where is he?” She cut off the lad’s suggestion. Aggravated more at him saying Mi’lady than anything else. He nodded his head left and she followed his direction.

The wind was strong and with the mixture of wine it made her stumbled more times than she liked to admit. Arya cursed herself for drinking so much.

Arya saw him first and her breath hitched. She knew it was him, she couldn’t miss the size of him and the thick cloak he was wearing was surely not helping. She saw King Robert in him, one could only see it if they knew who his father was. Gendry was nothing like the fat debaucherous drunk she knew as a young girl. She ran her eyes over him and her teeth found her bottom lip and studied his face like a wolf studied its prey. He had grown quite attractive, his eyes, a blizzard of blue and white and a strong jawline covered by unruly hair that could easily match that of a wildling. Arya imagined that beard scratching against the most sensitive areas of her skin, sending shivers down her spine and kick starting her heart. She had relived that moment where she felt his solid chest when he had pulled her up into his arms with ease. Arya had noticed that the wrinkles line around his eyes and scars under his eye were new. She was so lost in his stature that in an inebriated state, when she had lost her footing on a loose cobblestone.

‘Fuck’

“Make your presence known.” Arya looked towards at Gendry who was squinting into the darkness, hand on his pommel, tightening as the silence went on.

She did as he said and made her presence known by stepping out of the shadows and into the fire light where he stood. She knew Gendry’s eyes had found her because she felt the purest form of blue, burning into her as they trailed her making her way over to him.

Arya was no longer Arry the orphan boy that he first met eight years ago, she was a woman, shrouded in Stark colours. The fur of her cloak brushing up against the pink in her cheeks the cold had adorned her with. Wild strands of brown hair blowing in all directions

“Mi ‘lady” she watched him give a gentle bow with his head before turning her body towards the desolate darkness he was so eager to watch instead of feasting.

The wind had eradicated the silence between them but was not strong enough to remove the tension. Something had shifted between the two as if they outgrew their relationship as children. Now they were merely strangers who’ve heard tales of each other. Pretending that she still knew the bastard blacksmith comforted her in an odd way. But Arya understood that he was not the boy she knew, he was a man, burly and bearded and that reminded her that she had to get to know the Lord who was now loyal to her family.

“You should be inside enjoying the feast mi ’lady”

“I am not a lady.” She rolled her eyes at the habitual nickname. Even though she had just snapped at a young lad for using the same name, it felt normal when Gendry said it.

“You are a daughter of a Lord. Therefore, a lady”

“I may be dressed like one but ladies do not go through the things I went through and still remain gracious.” She maintained her calmness, a sign to Gendry that she had grown up. He took note of her accent, not quite as northern as it was when they first met, it was just about masked by her Braavosi tone. He took in her eyes. They seemed empty, almost. Worn out. But the infamous grey still managing to radiate in the fire light.

“Then what shall I call you?”

“My name.”

“Tis improper”

“Very hypocritical of you. You were a son of a king and you ask everyone to call you Ser Gendry yet your title is lord Baratheon?” Someone would have told her of his parentage, he expected it to be Ser Davos. Arya and Ser Davos had formed an unusual bond like that of uncle and niece, in the short week they had be introduced.

“Just a bastard son who did not want to be a lord.”

Stubborn bull.

“Jon is a bastard son of a Prince who did not want to be northern king.” It was probably one of the hardest things Arya had to comprehend, Jon, was her cousin, a Targaryen. Yet she will always regard him as her brother.

“You’ve been avoiding me” Arya quickly changed the subject and stared at him with a quirked eyebrow. “Why?” Gendry sparingly glanced her way.

Many excuses ran through his mind but knew she would not believe any of them. Arya was waiting on an answer and he was not prepared to change the mood already. But one simple glance at her and could not help but speak the truth.

“I thought you dead, we all did. I gave up on the thought of you and seeing you here, alive, makes me ashamed with myself that I had forgotten you easily.” Her eyes, grey and fierce, charming the words right out of him like the stories of the Dornishmen charming snakes.

“I wasn’t alive. For a very long time Arya Stark was dead. So, it’s okay that you forgot me. I forgot about me.” The words almost comforted him but then realised how melancholy they were. “I was forced to forget everyone I loved and knew for something that tortured me in the end” Before Gendry could comfort her she rapidly continued talking on an entirely different issue.

“Ser Davos tells me that the red witch who took you was the one who brought Jon back.” Gendry was caught off guard, he was not expecting this conversation to turn onto him and he panicked slightly. “When she took you I felt compelled put her on my list. As well as the brotherhood. I thought you dead after that.” Her honesty had frozen him and not negative temperature that surrounded them. Gendry was confused as to why she tormented herself because he was taken from her, he knew what that list meant to Arya. “One moral act does not excuse her unmoral ones.”

“Why bother yourself with putting them on your list? Only for them to cause more conflict for yourself.” He defended. She rolled her eyes and muttered something he assumed was Braavosi.

“Because you were my family. Whether you liked it or not, you were. I put everyone who wrong the ones I valued on that list.” The dornish wine was betraying her by speaking for her. “You are family now to my family so-”

“I wouldn’t say family”

“No?”

“More lik-”

“When I was a northerner those who fought alongside of us and saved the lives of our kin were worthy of being a part of our household”

“Are you not a northerner now?” his voice shaded with suspicion.

“I’m simply saying that if the north that I knew has not changed, which I can see it hasn’t, you are family.” She a grown an annoyed look on her face and growled “and I am the epitome of the north. Wolf’s’ blood.” Arya was cocky in the way she had tapped on her chest and raised her eyebrow intimidatingly.

Gendry did not know what epitome meant but he knew he had somewhat offended her.

An argument was not what Arya was planning, she couldn’t even remember why she had come up to talk to him. They had grown silent and she felt herself sobering up in the cold and had a sudden feeling of nerves that the wine had obviously reduced in the first place. The thought of wine gave her the realisation of why she was here. But before Arya could speak, Gendry had.

“I met Hot Pie five moons ago” He spoke confidently hoping she remembered the fat lad that travelled with them.

“I thought he would have died by now.” She had always been blunt.

“Not at all, quite the opposite actually. He is a large man now, bigger than me. And married.”

“Hot pie? Married? Sevens hells”

“and expecting a second child, probably had the babe by now”

“You’re a liar Ser Gendry” She had let out a quiet laugh. It frustrated her that he was always prone to changing her mood so quickly she doesn’t realise it happens.

Gendry had never heard her laugh before, even if he did it was long forgotten. It was almost non-existent, that if the wind was any louder in his ears he probably would have missed it. He’d wanted to savour this moment before it was gone.

“I never lie to a lady.”

“I wager you lie to all the ladies.”

“Never to the ones who can catch me out.” Gendry smiled at her and she returned it with extra warmth.

The wind began to roar harder and the speed picked up and being so high up the gust of wind had made her loose her footing a second time. Gendry hand grabbed her elbow through the cloak and steadied her. Even though they were both greatly covered, she could feel the heat from underneath his gloves and through her layers. It was the second-time Gendry had given her this tremor of warmth, the first from the hug. Arya locked eyes with him and a sense of seriousness washed over his face. Nerves fluttered from deep inside her and she trembled from within. Arya cursed herself for not being prepared and needed to go back inside but she wasn’t leaving without Gendry.

“Come inside Gendry” Arya’s voice was soft and for a moment he saw her eyes flashed with an unreadable emotion which made him release his hold on her.

“I will once I finished watch.” He simply replied, infuriating Arya once again.

“No one is stupid enough to try and capture Winterfell this late at night and think they have a chance at survival. Although there are ones stupid enough to believe it enough to stand watch.”

“You shouldn’t insult anyone bigger than you”

“Then I wouldn’t get to insult anyone.”

Gendry had smile at the memory those words brought. It was true though, she probably wouldn’t get to insult anyone of that older than fifteen years old. She was a woman of twenty and yet the top of her head just reached his collar bone.

“Well since you are so keen on keeping watch, perhaps you shall stand watch at my door tonight.” She sighed and faced him. A proposition was her last resort. Arya might have been sobering up but she was still drunk.

“From what I’ve heard Arya you are plenty capable of defending the castle itself.”

“Then perhaps you shall be at my door for another reason.” The corner of lips turned slightly and he could have sworn her left winked ever so swiftly, Arya turned her back and began making her way back down to her celebration leaving a stunned Gendry to consider the meaning behind her words.

Arya blamed the wine and even though she was embarrassed her only regret was that she didn’t stay long enough to see his reaction.

She welcomed the warmth of indoors and sat back down next to Jon who cocked his eyebrow at her smile which she returned with a shrug. Arya sat back down and helped herself to another flagon of whatever was in front of her, to silence her internal cringing and drown her embarrassment at her found confidence.

Arya silently thanked Meera for coming up and pouring two more flagons for both. She found that she could always fall into an easy conversation with Meera, but she found their conversation boring and soon she caught her eyes hazily skimming the figures once again.

Even though Gendry’s face had been red from the frost, when his eyes caught Arya’s, she saw his rough face sear with colour as he turned away and downed a drink that was on the table just as she had done moments ago.

Arya was proud, she had made men do many things but blushing like a maiden was a new one.

She laughed to herself.

‘Stupid bull’


End file.
